ANOTHER GRAND ILLUSION - AT 7:41 A.M. ET:  Vice President Joe Biden has joined President Obama in advocating that we reach out to "moderate" elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan, hoping to neutralize them through the Obama-blessed magic of negotiations.  Others, perhaps a bit closer to the problem, dissent:

"Obama's comment resemble a dream more than reality," Waheed Mozhdah, an official in both the Taliban and the Karzai governments, told Reuters.

"Where are the so-called moderate Taliban? Who are the moderate Taliban?" asked Mozhdah, who has also written a book on the Taliban.

"'Moderate Taliban' is like 'moderate killer.' Is there such a thing?" asked writer and analyst Qaseem Akhgar.

COMMENT:  It reminds me of the story of U.S. Senator William Borah, who, after Germany invaded Poland in 1939, reportedly said that the whole thing could have been prevented had he had just a few minutes with Adolf Hitler.  There are illusions in every generation.

March 11, 2009